RANGELEY — The state Land Use Planning Commission will meet Tuesday, Sept. 9, to hear public comments on the Prospective Zoning Plan for the region.

The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. at The Rangeley Inn & Tavern.

The commission has analyzed permitting data from 1986 through 2013 in the 10 plantations and townships covered in the plan. The full proposed plan can be found at http://www.maine.gov/dacf/lupc/plans_maps_data/rangeleyplan/rangeleyplan.html

The analysis is contained in a new report: 2014 Evaluation and Progress Report to the Commission.

Highlights of the report, according to the commission, include:

* Residential development remains the top category of new permits in the region by a large margin.

* New residential development in the plan area is occurring within the anticipated rate/amount.

* Over the period studied, development trends in the region have followed similar ups and downs as other regions in the commission’s service area as the economy and real estate market have fluctuated.

* Since the plan was adopted, a higher percentage of new homes is being built in development zoning subdistricts, even though residential construction is still allowed in many other zones. New development within the plan area has been concentrated in Dallas Plantation, Rangeley Plantation and Sandy River Plantation, as opposed to the outlying townships and plantations also covered in the plan. The other areas covered are Lincoln, Adamstown and Magalloway plantations and Townships C, D, and E and Richardsontown Township.

Based on this information, it appears the plan is functioning as the many stakeholders involved in the creation of the plan intended, according to the commission’s information.

However, the data cannot tell the whole story, and the commission wants to hear from the public. The commission would like people’s observations on the status of development in the Rangeley area.

It is looking for opinions to see if the zoning and regulations adopted in the plan meets the needs of people in the region. It also wants people to describe how the current balance between lands designated for development and conservation in the region and if they would like to see the balance change.

They also want to know where people feel the Rangeley region is headed overall.

[email protected]